One Year
by Wicked42
Summary: Collection of drabbles. Karin and Yuzu attend the Shinigami Academy for a year! Between an annoying captain who always visits, love letters, and fights, who has time for studying? See author note at the end of first chapter for pairings.
1. Prelude

A/N: Like the summary says, this is the intro chappie to my newest collection of drabbles. (first posted collection) It's set in the time period of this chapter, but every one from now on will be in Soul Society, with different occurances happening to Karin and Yuzu. Not to say that Rukia, Ichigo, or Isshin won't be back, because it's pretty easy to make the trip to Soul Society to visit. :P I'm not sure how many drabbles I'll have. I just write one whenever I feel like it. So, enjoy :)

* * *

**One Year**

**Intro**

Rukia shifted the shopping bag on her forearm, grumbling slightly about the weight of it, considering that all she bought were ramen and chocolate bars. Her white sundress blew in the wind, giving her slimming figure an ambrosial look. She pushed a strand of her dark hair behind her ear, impatient that it kept falling into her dark violet eyes.

The moonlight lit the path that she was taking back to the Kurosaki Clinic, and the stars twinkled as she sauntered along. She lifted her head slightly, vaguely noting that a group of humans were walking a ways behind her. She wasn't worried about them, though. Unlike Ichigo cautioned, she never considered that someone might attack her, as people did every day to normal humans. She wasn't some weakling girl who couldn't defend herself. She could take on four, five guys easily. Ichigo worried too much.

Rukia thought about what she would do when she got back to Ichigo's apartment. It was summer break, and Ichigo's sisters had both insisted on going to Soul Society to train at the shinigami academy there. They were all too eager to go once they found out that their father had once been a shinigami captain, and that Ichigo was well on his way to becoming one, should he decide to join the death god's ranks. Isshin had been reluctant, but surprisingly, Ichigo convinced him to let the twins go, stating that they'd be safer if they could protect themselves. When a fight between a hollow did break out with one of them—and it was almost assured to happen at least once, what with their high spiritual power—they shouldn't have to sit and wait for someone to save them, he said.

Needless to say, after hearing that reasoning, Isshin agreed, and they made the arrangements. Soul Society was amazed to hear from the retired captain, and after all the help the Kurosaki family had lent them in the past, the shinigami were all too eager to welcome the two girls into the academy. They left immediately, and had plans to stay all year and get training. When the neighbors asked where they had gone, the two men lied that they had gone to spend a year in America, as foreign exchange students.

Karin and Yuzu were going to be in for a big surprise when they got back, and had no idea about American culture.

So, with the twins gone, the Kurosaki household had gotten much quieter—and much dirtier—until Ichigo had sought Rukia out to stay with them. She did most of the household chores, and in exchange, she lived for free in the house, even receiving Karin and Yuzu's empty bedroom. Rukia didn't actually mind the work that accompanied her room and board; she thought it was a great learning experience, to see how humans kept their quarters tidy. Ichigo thought she was crazy. Isshin thought she was a saint.

Rukia's eyes narrowed as she realized that those humans were still following her. She was still a few blocks away from clinic, but distance wasn't really an issue. She could sprint it easily. Of course, what fun would that be? If these guys were stalking her, and she managed to get away, not only would she be missing a fight, but she'd be letting them go free to attack some other defenseless human.

Casually, making up her mind, she turned to face them. They were still about thirty feet away, but they continued to advance. There were four of the men, big guys who looked strong. None seemed older than Ichigo. Judging by the smirks on their faces, she knew her hunch was correct, and that they were planning to attack her soon. By facing them, she had merely moved the time up.

"It's not safe for a little girl to be walking alone at night," Guy #1 crooned. The others chuckled at the idea. "Someone might get hurt."

Rukia sighed and put her shopping bag down. She didn't want to jostle the food when she fought. Straightening, she put on a sweet face, encouraging them, "I was unaware of the dangers. Thank you for warning me."

"We'll do more than warn," Guy #2 stated. "We're going to educate you in _why_ you don't walk alone at night."

"You'll never make this mistake again," Guy #4 laughed.

Rukia rolled her eyes at their comments. She couldn't help it; these idiots thought they were so much better than they probably were. Their few months of street fighting was nothing compared to the hundred and fifty years that she had on them, "Well, someone's going to get hurt, that's for sure."

They looked startled for a minute, clearly shocked that she wasn't screaming and running in the opposite direction. That only spurred Rukia on; she wanted to get these thugs off the streets and protect those other girls they might target in the future.

By now, the four were less than five feet away, and Guy #3 stepped up, cracking his knuckles, "She's pretty, guys. What say we knock her unconscious, take her back to the hideout, and have some fun with her."

Guy #1 shrugged, "Sure. We haven't had someone to play with in a while."

Guy #3 didn't need any more encouragement. He lunged forward, prepared to knock Rukia upside the head. He swung, but she wasn't there anymore. She appeared behind him, landing a strong kick in the middle of his back, causing him to fall forward. Rukia winced as he landed with a thud right next to the groceries, momentarily stunned. Without hesitating, she skipped over and snatched up the bag, moving it to the corner of the street, out of the way. When she turned around, Guy #3 was getting to his feet.

"Stupid bitch!" he snarled, coming forward again. Again Rukia dodged easily, but this time she wasn't so courteous. Instead of merely knocking him to the floor, she hammered punches on his stomach, then moved up to his face, and finished by kicking him where the sun don't shine. Guy #3 let out a high pitched squeal that was quite funny, in Rukia's mind, and sank to the floor, holding his bloody nose in one hand and his crotch in the other. For good measure, Rukia did a roundhouse kick and knocked his head, effectively putting him out of the fight. He dropped cold to the concrete, and she straightened, eyeing the other three.

"Come on, you can do better than that," she invited. "I wanted a fight, not a warm-up."

One nod, and the other three angrily ran at her together. She jumped just out of the way, leaping into the air and kneeing Guy #1 in the head. She heard a sickening crunch of his nose breaking, and smirked slightly, landing lightly on her feet. Guy #1 fell, and she counted him down and out.

Guy #4 was easy enough to take down. Just kick him in the stomach, then the chest, then get his legs out from under him, and he was down as well. His head hit the concrete hard, and if he wasn't unconscious before, he certainly was then.

Rukia turned to face Guy #2, the only one standing now, folding her arms. She gave him a level glare, waiting for him to either start the fight or turn tail and run. He did neither, but a grin spread over his face as he stood. Clearly something was funny to him, and Rukia blinked in confusion.

"Now you'll get yours," Guy #2 stated triumphantly, beaming. Just as he said that, Guy #1 grabbed her from behind, holding her arms so she couldn't move without breaking one. She squirmed, but his hold tightened.

"You're feisty, girl," Guy #1 whispered in her ear. She rolled her eyes and brought her foot down on his toes, grinding them into the pavement. He cursed and let go, holding his foot tenderly. Rukia turned to face Guy #2 once more, sighing.

"Is that all you guys have?"

He growled low and reached into his jacket, pulling out a knife. Brandishing it, he leapt forward, and Rukia grinned.

"Great, now make that knife about three times longer, add some skill, and it's like school all over again!" she laughed, attacking him without mercy. He managed to lightly scrape her cheek, but other than that, he went down quicker than the others. Clapping her hands together in accomplishment, she picked up her grocery bag and started walking towards Ichigo's house.

A few feet away, and she stopped and turned. Three of the guys were out cold, but Guy #1 was still nursing his broken foot. She smiled sweetly again, "Remember this next time you decide to prey on someone else."

* * *

By the time she got to Ichigo's house, she was feeling pretty good about herself. She walked through the front door, humming as she shut it behind her. She turned and noticed Ichigo, who was staring at her with a confused and slightly annoyed face. She flashed her trademark grin. 

"Having a nice night, Ichigo?"

"What happened to you?" he asked, climbing off of the couch and walking towards her.

Rukia shrugged, "I got to beat up some thugs. It was fun."

He snorted, "That explains the cut, then," he stated, running his finger lightly over her cheek, pulling it away to show the blood smeared on his thumb. He motioned for her to follow him, and headed for the kitchen, where they kept the first aid kit. She obeyed, still smiling, but now blushing slightly as well.

"They were really weak. No form at all."

"Only you would be so happy after beating someone up," Ichigo shook his head. "I suppose I should be grateful that I didn't have to come rescue you."

She took a seat at the kitchen table, "Damn straight. I can take care of myself."

"Didn't I warn you about people like that?" Ichigo demanded, ignoring her statement as he pulled out a cloth and dabbed the blood away. When it was clean, he put some antiseptic on a band-aid and covered the small cut with it.

Rukia sat silently for a minute, waiting for the stinging to subdue. When it did, she opened her grocery bag and pulled out the chocolate bars, "You did warn me, but I didn't listen. And frankly, if those were the humans you were worried about, then I won't need to listen to your warnings again. That was like playtime for me."

Ichigo rolled his eyes and grabbed a chocolate bar, but he couldn't help smirking at her actions. Her reckless attitude was why he liked her so much.

"Just be careful next time."

* * *

A/N: There, first chappie done. :) This is the longest of them, because this is an actual chapter, and not a drabble. Clearly I'm an Ichigo/Rukia fan, and there will be Karin/Hitsugaya as well. I'm sort of leaning towards Yuzu/Hanataro, just because they seem to fit together. Suggestions for drabbles are welcomed and encouraged! Thanks for reading :) 


	2. First Day

A/N: Yay, next drabble! Enjoy, okay? Please review; I love to hear your comments :)

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**One Year**

**First Day**

"So, how did you guys die?"

Karin started, and Yuzu froze, both looking up at the speaker with amazement. Yuzu regained her dignity first, sitting up straighter in her desk and smiling sweetly at the young boy who had spoken.

"We're not dead," she informed him, still smiling.

Karin laughed at the look on his face. He blinked for a minute, then frowned.

"But how can you guys be here if you're not dead?"

"We're alive, but we separated from our bodies in the real world and came here. We want to learn how to fight hollows so that our father and brother don't always have to protect us," Karin folded her arms, leaning casually against Yuzu's desk, acting as if this kind of thing happened every day.

The boy gaped at them, "I didn't think that was possible."

"We cheat the system," Karin responded before her sister could speak.

Yuzu rolled her eyes at her twin and got the boy's attention again, "Our dad and brother did it before us. Dad was a shinigami captain, and Ichigo comes here occasionally to help out."

"Your dad was a captain?" the boy ogled.

They nodded in sync.

"And your brother comes here as if he were on vacation?"

Another nod.

"And now you two are here going to the academy, just because you _can_?"

"Pretty much," Yuzu agreed.

"He catches on quick," Karin chuckled.

The boy stared at them for a moment, then took a deep breath, "Then, as a true resident of Soul Society, let me welcome you. I'm sure you'll have a great year here," he flashed a goofy grin.

Karin and Yuzu were stunned, but when he held out his hand, they both reached over to shake it.

"I'm Joshino Aki, and I was murdered."

It was going to be an interesting year.

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A/N: drabble number one is finished! (the last chappie was a prelude to all of this :P) **Reviews are much loved! **


	3. Shikai

A/N: Okay, finally a chapter after like, what, twenty years? Anyway, this one had to get posted, but hopefully I added a little laugh to the end. The girls out there will get it. And some of the guys might too...

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**Shikai**

The day had been trying, to say the least. Classes had been cancelled that day, and the shinigami students had taken a field trip to the forest surrounding Rukongai, and were pressured to try and achieve the first form of their zanpakuto. The teachers wanted to sift out the students with potential ("Some of you who can get this might become fourth or third seats, or maybe a lieutenant. One or two could become captains as well!"). The process took time, however. It required bonding with a sword, learning its name, and calling out a command to force it to take a different shape depending on it's element or theme.

The whole thing seemed rather stupid to Karin ("Bonding with a _sword_? How lame can you get?!"), but she tried her hardest to find out her zanpakuto's name. She remembered Toshirou's zanpakuto in its shikai form. She knew what kind of power came with being able to wield a sword in that state. She wanted the power to fight, to protect herself along with anyone else with her. She didn't want to have to rely on everyone else the rest of her life. So she tried.

Yuzu was eager to try the minute she watched her teacher transform his zanpakuto. To her, it was a mystifying experience, one shrouded in a cloud of accomplishment. She was willing to put forth all of her effort into changing her zanpakuto, and the idea that each sword held a sentient spirit only drove her to try harder. It was easy to see that she desperately wanted to meet the soul of her zanpakuto, and clearly she was well on her way to consummating that objective.

The teachers had paired the students off with other students around the same level of skill. Yuzu was paired with a boy who was determined, but had low reiatsu. She was always more of healer than a fighter anyway, so the two were a perfect match.

Karin had been put with Joshino Aki, the boy who had introduced himself on their first day at the shinigami academy. Both of them were driven, and though Aki was older (and thus had more training), Karin had higher reiatsu. It was an even fight, but the teacher was confident that one of the two would put the other in a life/death situation, causing his or her zanpakuto to awaken.

The teacher had been right, and within a half hour, when Karin's endurance was being pushed to its limits, Aki had managed to knock her to the ground and put his sword to her throat. He was about to back off, afraid he had hurt her, when the teacher ordered him to stay put. He hesitantly obeyed, but Karin wasn't listening to them. She had been engulfed into her own little world.

Her zanpakuto's spirit, a beautiful but tiny woman with blue skin and clear eyes, had practically glided over to Karin to introduce herself. Karin didn't hear the name the first time, but when the spirit had lost her temper and threatened to beat the girl into a hole, the dark-haired girl's ears mysteriously became sharper.

Konpeki Mizu. Azure Water. That was the tiny woman's name. Her personality was similar to Karin; she appeared harmless, but say the wrong thing, and she would pummel that person to the ground. Karin was pleased to find out that she was an extremely powerful water zanpakuto. Power meant strength, and with strength came the power to protect. The two were a perfect match.

Yuzu took a bit longer, but only by about an hour or so. She wasn't as strong as Karin, but she had the endurance, and wore down her opponent easily. She was shocked when the teacher stepped in and attacked her mercilessly, trying to ignite the girl's zanpakuto spirit. Yuzu had a hurt look in her face, as if she couldn't believe the teacher was attacking her, and feebly tried to fight back. She was unable to do any real damage, and the instructor quickly put her in a corner. Only when Yuzu's eyes glazed over did the instructor slow her assault.

Yuzu's zanpakuto took the form of a fairy, about the size of her fist. The fairy pounded the idea that size didn't matter during battle into her partner's head. "Your opponent could be the size of a building, but that doesn't mean he isn't as slow as a turtle," the fairy folded her arms and nodded decisively. She told Yuzu that she controlled the wind, stating that often people undermined the element simply because it was soft and calm most of the time. Only after demonstrating the real power of the rushing air did Yuzu hear her name.Tsukuroi Arashi, or Mending Tempest ("I'm an oxymoron inside myself!" the fairy had exclaimed proudly).

Now the two sisters were inside their bedroom, relaxing after a hard day's work. Only three other students beside themselves had achieved shikai, and the teacher had rewarded them with a day off of practice for the following morning. Karin was looking forward to the free time. Yuzu decided to write a letter home, telling her father and brother of their accomplishments.

"Should I tell Ichigo about the teacher attacking me, or leave that out?" Yuzu chewed on the eraser of her pencil.

"Leave it out," Karin responded, throwing a small ball up and catching it. She was sprawled out on her bed, with her sword beside her, lounging. "He'll flip if he found out. Knowing him, he'd charge over here and demand that they take better care of us." She snickered at the thought.

Yuzu nodded and continued to write.

Karin blinked, and an epiphany crossed her mind. She sat up, tossing the ball across the room, where it hit the wall and bounced off, rolling underneath her bed.

"Do you realize that my command is going to have to be something related to water? Like, every time I want to get my zanpakuto to it's second form, I'll have to shout, 'Flow, Konpeki Mizu'."

Yuzu started, dropping her pencil. Karin winced at the thought, and Yuzu turned around, a slight smile playing on her face.

"Perhaps you should pick a different command, Karin. I doubt the _male_ members of your squad will appreciate that thought."

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A/N: Hope you liked it. I'll try to post the next chapter sooner than later. :) Reviews are much loved! 


	4. Abrupt Awakening

A/N: OMG another update!! dies :P So so so sorry to keep you all waiting, but Relay for Life is coming up, and I've been REALLY busy helping tie up the loose ends. (For those of you who don't know what Relay for Life is, shame on you! Go look at the American Cancer Society website to find out!) Anyway, I hope this chapter clears out any hard feelings. :) Finally, some Karin x Toshirou fluff! (sort of...) Enjoy!

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**One Year**

**Abrupt Awakening**

The first time Toshirou visited Karin, she was sleeping on the roof of the academics building. He arrived so silently that she didn't even hear him, continuing to snore softly, her arms providing a nice pillow from their folded position. On impulse, Toshirou scowled and reached out to shake her awake, but then decided against it—it would be impractical to wake up the girl and face the fury that accompanied lost sleep.

So instead, he sat down next to her and leaned against the tilted roof as well, watching contentedly as the clouds floated by. Normally, he would have been embarrassed about being seen sitting with a girl who wasn't Hinamori, but he highly doubted the students below them would even think to look up. It wasn't like he was radiating reiatsu or anything—no one would be able to sense him.

Only, someone _could_ sense him. It wasn't because of his reiatsu—any sleeping someone, shinigami or not, could tell when an uninvited person showed up and sat down. Toshirou didn't factor in this sixth sense, however, and was quite unprepared when Karin opened her eyes and glanced over.

When she screamed, he nearly fell off the roof.

"What the hell?!" she demanded, glaring at him as he struggled to regain both his composure and his spot on the roof. "What kind of freak are you, _watching me sleep_?" she hissed the last part.

Toshirou glowered right back, matching her tone defensively, "I was _not_ watching you sleep. I just noticed you sitting on the roof and thought you were awake."

"You must have realized I wasn't really quickly," her words were as sharp as his zanpakuto. "And then what? You just decided to sit your ass down and admire me?"

"You're not _worth_ admiring," he shot right back, bristling at the accusation, even though that was pretty much the extent of his actions. "And I don't have to defend my actions to _you_."

Karin folded her arms, "This wasn't exactly the wake-up call I was expecting, and if you don't want me to file a harassment report on you, you damn well better explain, Shorty."

Toshirou raised an eyebrow, smirking despite the situation, "You'd 'file a harassment report' on me? What the hell would you get out of that? They would take my word over yours."

"True, but they would also always be whispering behind your back, wondering if it was true—if the great Captain Hitsugaya really was a perv," she cocked her head as he paled slightly, sea-green eyes flashing. "You should be glad you're not some fifty-year-old coot. Then you'd _really_ be in for it."

"I was _not_ watching you sleep!" Toshirou tried one last time to get his name cleared. "I told you—I was in the area and saw you, then decided to come over. You woke up after a few seconds of me sitting down!"

Karin stared at him, "What were you doing over here anyway? As a Captain, aren't you supposed to stay in the 10th division or something?"

He stood up, "I _was_ checking in on you, as per your brother's request. But now I'm wondering if I shouldn't just call him up and tell him I quit right now."

She stood as well, but just as swiftly slipped on a roof tile. Before she could fall, however, he grabbed her arm and helped her get her balance. Then he turned to go without another word.

Her hand on his shoulder stopped him dead, "Wait, Toshirou."

"Captain Hitsugaya," he corrected automatically, then remembered just who he was correcting—she wouldn't heed the title anyway.

"Sure, him," she met his gaze, and smirked slightly. "As creepy as it was to wake up to your face, I'm glad you came to see me. Maybe we could get together later and play some soccer, huh? None of the kids here know what it is."

Toshirou raised an eyebrow, but the corner of his lip twitched, "Maybe, if I have the time." And with that, he quite literally disappeared, leaving Karin staring at the spot he had been just moments ago. After a few seconds, Karin sat back down and resumed her sleeping position, grinning as she closed her eyes.

"You'd damn well better _make_ the time, Shorty." the threatening tone hung in the air as she drifted off to sleep again.

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A/N: There. Another chapter to satisfy you until i can post again. :) No hard feelings from the wait? :D (Assure me by way of reviews!)


	5. A Simple Mistake

A/N: And I'm back again! :D It so great that you all are easygoing enough to not kill me when I decide to post forever and a half later! ... Right? XD

* * *

**One Year**

**A Simple Mistake**

"Look, Karin! I got a letter," Yuzu brandished the white envelope happily, smiling at her twin. Karin undid the tie that held her zanpakuto sheath to her waist, putting the sword on her bed before she ambled over to her sister. She peered at the letter—it was very basic, with no return address, and a handwritten scrawl of letters that Karin had to assume was her sister's name. The stamp was what actually threw her off, though. It was Japanese, signifying that this letter did _not_ come from Soul Society.

"Someone must have paid hell on postage…" she muttered, folding her arms as her sister shot her an exasperated look. Yuzu pulled the letter back and looked around for a sharp edge to open the envelope with, clearly not wanting to rip it with her fingers. Karin smirked and picked up her sword, unsheathing it and holding the edge about a foot away from her twin, "Here."

Yuzu hesitated for a minute before gently taking the flat of the blade, holding it steady as she ran the tip under the envelope's flap. It tore easily, and Karin took her time sheathing the sword as Yuzu pulled out the letter and began to read.

"Who's it from?" Karin inquired, lazily eyeing her sister.

She didn't respond, her chocolate brown eyes squinted in confusion as she read. Karin walked to the head of Yuzu's bed and peered over her shoulder, noting that the letter was only about a paragraph long. She couldn't make out what the scrawl was meaning to say, and she was willing to bet that Yuzu couldn't either.

"Karin, what's 'he Oodliss'?" she asked, blinking at the paper.

Staring a bit harder, Karin noticed the name at the bottom of the letter and howled in laughter. Yuzu twisted around, trying to see her sister, and maybe realize what amused her so much. Karin left the head of the bed, stumbled to her own bed, and collapsed on it, still shaking with snickers. Her zanpakuto lay forgotten beside her.

"Karin?" Yuzu frowned slightly, a bit put out by missing this apparently hilarious joke.

The dark-haired girl took a few deep breaths and sat up, "God, his attempt is just pathetic!" she broke out into another round of chortles.

"Who's?"

"Come on, Yuzu," Karin snapped her fingers. "Get with the program. There's only _one_ guy who calls you a 'goddess'."

Yuzu furrowed her brow, deep in thought. She looked at the letter again, studying the name. Finally realization dawned on her as she reread it, "Jinta?"

"And bingo was her name-o," Karin snorted.

"Why would Jinta write me a letter?"

The dark-haired girl shrugged, lethargic now that the mystery of the anonymous letter had been solved, "Who knows? He probably figures that it's been too long since he's seen you, and as such got the urge to _try_ and write a letter. Clearly Urahara never taught him penmanship."

Yuzu looked at the letter sadly, "That's a shame. He might have had something important to say."

* * *

**At the Urahara Shop**

"Manager! Did my letter get delivered yet?" a red-haired boy sprinted to the front of the shop, where Urahara was seated, drinking tea.

The shop owner looked up, blinking in mild surprise at the forcefulness of his young assistant, "That it did. Rukia headed back to Soul Society today, and I made sure to give it to her. So, unless she was trapped somewhere between here and there, your letter undoubtedly arrived at it's destination."

"Um, Jinta?" Ururu padded silently into the main room as well, looking meek and submissive as always. Her bangs jostled slightly with each step, and her pale blue eyes drooped vaguely, giving her a depressed atmosphere.

The red-headed boy whirled around, "What, Ururu?" he snapped.

She reached into her pocket, unfazed by his tone. She pulled out a crisp, white piece of paper, folded three times to fit into a standard-sized envelope, "I found this when I was cleaning."

Jinta's eyes widened as he saw it, and his hand shot out, snatching it from Ururu's palm. He tore it open, and his mouth fell agape. Urahara and Ururu leaned closer to find out what the paper was.

"I sent Yuzu the wrong letter!" Jinta wailed, throwing back his head. "She'll never figure out what I said now!"

"Did you give her the original copy?" Urahara asked, taking another sip of his tea.

"Yes, that's the problem. Ururu didn't write _this_ one before I got a chance to type it. It's _my_ handwriting on that letter!" he tore up the typed one angrily, eyes blazing.

Urahara paused, thinking this through, then laughed lightly. At Jinta's livid glare, he cracked a grin, "At least we know Karin will get a good laugh from it."

* * *

A/N: Gotta feel bad for Jinta. :P


	6. Hanataro Meets Yuzu

A/N: Okay, I'm inserting this empty chapter here simply because, though I have tried many times in the last few months, Yuzu and Hanataro's meeting just isn't working for me. So, this chapter is a filler space, for if I ever get around to writing a halfway decent drabble about their meeting.

Later chapters will have the two of them dating, so imagine by yourself how that happens. Enjoy chapter seven! :)


	7. Studying Sucks

A/N: And after that fun little break, we're back with another chapter. :) More Toshirou/Karin fluff here, since I still love that couple. Enjoy!  


* * *

**One Year**

**Studying Sucks  
**

Karin groaned and began hitting her head on the polished mahogany wood of the shinigami academy's fancy-schmancy library. Things were _not_ going her way, and the stupid book lying open in front of her wasn't helping, contrary to popular belief.

"That's bad for the wood, you know," a familiar voice commented, and Karin looked up to see Toshirou standing beside her, arms folded, an amused smirk on his face. Her dark eyes trailed down to see that, for once, he was clad in normal clothes instead of his regular captain's outfit. She blinked.

"What are you doing here? You just checked up on me yesterday," Karin pointed out, leaning back in her chair.

The young captain scoffed at that and took a seat across from her, "I'm here on business this time."

"For once," she muttered.

His eyebrow twitched in annoyance at her interruption, but he continued as if he hadn't heard, "I was required to come down today and check out the students. Apparently I'm supposed to choose which ones I think would be right for 10th division recruits." He sighed, "Sifting through all the students is such a pain. I should have had Matsumoto come."

"You know the kind of people _she'd_ pick," Karin pointed out.

Toshirou groaned at the thought.

"My life's not all fun and games either, you realize," Karin nodded towards the book in front of her. "I have a test coming up, and I'm screwed for it."

He blinked, "All the tests they give you are easy."

Karin snorted, "For a child prodigy, maybe."

"What's it on?" Toshirou was clearly resisting rolling his eyes at her comment, pulling the book closer to himself and flipping through the pages nonchalantly.

"The different sword forms. We're supposed to take a written test, and then go onto the field and show our instructors the first form."

"And you haven't achieved the first form yet," he supplied, raising an eyebrow.

Karin scowled, "I got that months ago. It's the written part I'm worried about."

Toshirou frowned, "You achieved shikai? Why didn't you tell me about it?"

She gave him a blank look.

He stared back, meeting her gaze easily.

She blinked twice, still confused, and he came to a realization.

"You don't know what shikai is, do you?"

Karin grinned, "Told you I needed to study."

Toshirou rubbed his temples in exasperation, "I don't think this has ever happened before. How can you _not_ know the forms of your zanpakuto? There are only _two_!"

"No one taught me."

"You're lying. If you listen in your classes, they tell you at _least_ three times a period."

"Then I wasn't listening when they said it."

He gaped at her, then cleared his throat in an attempt to regain his calm composure. Clearly Karin was enjoying this, though her face stayed deadly serious when she talked to him. He decided to try a different approach.

"You must have realized what shikai is when you achieved it."

Karin shrugged, "I know the stuff required for the physical part of the test. It's just the written part that I'm having trouble with."

Toshirou froze, thinking. Then he narrowed his sea-green eyes coldly, "The test is multiple choice. I remember it."

"Great!" Karin grinned. "You can tell me what's on it!"

"It's so easy, I shouldn't _have_ to!"

"Well ex_cuse_ me for being _normal_," she replied. "We can't all have a photographic memory."

He felt like hitting his head on the wood, as she had been doing when he approached. She always found a way to wear down his last nerve, "You don't need a photographic memory to take this test, Karin. It's _multiple choice_, and there are only _two_ forms!"

Karin eyed him, "So you're not going to help me study then?"

"No!"

"Fine. When I fail, I'm blaming you." Karin reached over, grabbed the book, and walked off, somehow managing to keep more dignity than Toshirou had. He watched her go, then groaned as he buried his head in his arms. That girl would be the death of him, if she didn't get herself killed first.

* * *

A/N: Hope this update satisfies you for a while, cause once more I prolly won't update until Bleach again worms its way back into my busy busy life. (Senior year's coming to a close!) Thanks for reading!


	8. An Innocent Picnic Sort of

A/N: Someone mentioned this idea in a review... Kyubi-Nemu. S/He suggested it over a year ago, and I loved the idea, so here we are. I couldn't add it in before because, obviously, Hanataro and Yuzu had to actually meet first, but as you know by now, that chapter was never written. But here's this anyway. Thanks, Kyubi-Nemu, for the fantastic idea!!!

* * *

**One Year**

**An Innocent Picnic... Sort Of  
**

Yuzu flashed Hanataro a shy smile, tucking her legs underneath herself and taking a delicate bite of her apple. It was a lovely day in Soul Society, with the trees just starting to turn a golden brown, and the breeze made the air crisp and fresh. Other students milled about the grounds, but Yuzu was focused completely on the young boy before her, who was currently pulling two sandwiches out of his pack.

He handed her a sandwich with an embarrassed grin, and her own smile grew as she bowed her head in thanks. He blushed slightly and reached back into his bag, pulling out a bottle of water and two wooden cups. She held the cup steady as he poured the water, giggling when he got distracted and spilled the liquid onto her hands.

"Sorry, Yuzu!" he exclaimed, quickly setting the bottle down to grab a towel.

"It's alright, Hanataro," she shook the water off her hand, brown eyes kind. "No harm done."

He looked relieved, and took her hand, moping up the remainder of the drops. He continued to hold her hand even after it was dry, and now her cheeks colored a faint pink. It was all very romantic; fairy-tale-esqué, in a way.

Until a large man with strangely spiky hair ran into the picture and crashed their perfect picnic.

"Who here's a Kurosaki?!"

Yuzu and Hanataro leapt apart as if burned, and Yuzu edged away from the man. She didn't notice a little girl with electric pink hair trailing after him, scanning the crowds with a content smile, as if nothing was amiss with her companion. Which—if Yuzu had known about Zaraki before this encounter—she would have known that was true.

As it was, Yuzu had never heard of this strange person, and was a bit freaked out. She stood, so he wasn't looking _quite_ so far down, and bit her lip, "Um, I'm a… Kurosaki."

His gaze became scrutinizing, sizing her up, cocking his head slightly, "You sure? You're sort of… tiny."

The aforementioned little girl's head popped up on the man's left shoulder, and she beamed at Yuzu, "Hiya! I'm Yachiru! Nice ta meet ya!"

"Yuzu," the frazzled teenager politely shook hands with the pink-haired girl. "I'm positive that I'm a Kurosaki. May I ask why you're looking for one of us?"

The man straightened now that the little girl was done shaking hands. He towered over Yuzu and Hanataro, not even sparing the boy a glance as he talked, "I was told that two Kurosaki's were at the Academy. But you don't even look worthy to challenge, much less fight." He sighed deeply.

Just then, Karin ran over with a certain white-haired captain in close pursuit. She skidded to a stop and bid a numb Hanataro hello before turning to her sister, "Yuzu, what's going on? Is this guy bothering you?"

"Zaraki? What are you doing here?" Toshirou frowned, folding his arms. "You _never_ come here."

"I heard a Kurosaki was in town," the large man huffed. "But it's the wrong one."

Karin glared at him, "Hey, you. You can't just barge in here and interrupt Yuzu's date with your stupid challenge, which I'm assuming was aimed at our brother in the first place."

Zaraki brightened, "Your brother's here?"

"No. He's in the real world."

"And you two weaklings won't hold a candle to him, hmm…"

Karin gasped indignantly, "Says you! I can beat you in a battle _any day of the week_!"

"She's joking," Toshirou put in quickly. "Karin, you're joking." It wasn't a question.

"He insulted me!"

"Get over your pride and tell him you're joking!"

Zaraki shook his head, "Forget it. I don't like the idea of hitting a girl who couldn't fight back. When your brother comes to town, tell him I wanna see him."

"I can take you on!" Karin insisted.

Toshirou put his hand over her mouth to silence her, nodded to Zaraki, Yuzu, and Hanataro, and literally dragged her away from the picnic. Yuzu watched him take her sister away before turning to Zaraki.

"Mr. Zaraki, I'm really sorry, but we don't really want to fight you. Well, I don't, and Karin won't get the chance now."

Hanataro finally stood up and came beside her, "Leave us alone, now, please. We were trying to have lunch." His hands twitched at having to stand up against someone so large, but he stood his ground.

Zaraki sighed again, sounding as if his world had crashed around him, and ran off. Yachiru chirped a goodbye to them both, and Yuzu and Hanataro sat back down.

"That was… odd," she commented lightly, unwrapping her sandwich.

Hanataro shrugged, "He's weird anyway. How's the food?"

* * *

A/N: Aww, I love how protective Toshirou is. :) That's the fangirl in me making him say stuff like that. Anyway, hope you liked this! Reviews are appreciated!


	9. First Mission

A/N: It occurred to me that reading this story (and my author notes) all the way through in one sitting makes me sound like a flaky lunatic, since I'm always apologizing for the long waits between updates. So, I've decided to send out one universal apology, and that will hold for future chapters. :)

UNIVERSAL APOLOGY!

Now, onto the drabble!

* * *

**One Year**

**First Mission  
**

When Karin was deemed ready to do her first field mission, Toshirou knew about it. In fact, he found out so far in advance that he was able to pull a few strings and actually _lead_ the group of in-training shinigami to the real world for Hollow control. It was a small group, with only two other students besides Karin, and the ice captain normally wouldn't have bothered.

Except that a trip into the real world usually spelled trouble, and there was no way in hell he would trust someone like Ikkaku to protect Karin.

So, when Karin topped the small hill to the large gate that led into her world, and her eyes settled on Captain Hitsugaya, standing beside the gate with his arms folded and his sea-green eyes flashing sternly, she groaned audibly.

"_You_ again?" she demanded, storming over to them. Already the other two students were present, grouped a few feet away from the esteemed captain, and gaped at her tone. "Why the hell do you keep popping up? You're like acne," she wrinkled her nose in disgust.

Toshirou scowled, "Miss Kurosaki, I ask you to show the same respect to me that you would to other captains, if you would very well please."

She eyed the two other students and realized that, as comfortable as she was with him, and he her, the young captain did have a reputation to uphold. She could respect that. So she plastered a smile on her face and mock-bowed.

"Forgive me, Captain Hitsugaya," she ignored his pleased look at the actual use of his title. "I was out of line. Please, lead us into the human realm, of which _you_ are ever so knowledgeable."

Hey, even if she respected his reputation, she could still poke fun at him in other ways.

Toshirou glowered at her, and the other two students couldn't figure out why he was so mad at the compliment. They clearly hadn't heard that Karin was actually _from_ the real world.

"Come on, then," he turned around, robe billowing in the afternoon wind. With a wave of his hands, the gate opened, and he led the students through.

Though Karin longed to stop at home and bid her family a fast hello, she knew that Toshirou wouldn't allow such familiarity, at least not when there were two other impressionable students following him around. So she refrained, instead satisfying herself with drinking up the liveliness of her world. When they passed by the school, she faltered, and Toshirou—noticing her staring at her old soccer buddies with longing—stopped the other two students for a "quick lesson." Karin knew that he was giving her time to observe, and was grateful.

"Okay, now. As you all know, the humans can't see or hear us in these particular forms. However, if you ever have a mission in the real world, you will receive a gigai, which is a temporary physical body. Then you can interact with the humans, and if danger comes, you can break away just as easily to do your job. You very well could have to attend a school like this one to maintain your cover, so study it now for future reference."

The two other students stared at the school, and only when Karin glanced at Toshirou did the captain move them along.

Three hours and two hollows later, Toshirou deemed the trip over and was about to create a gate for them to go back to Soul Society when a certain orange-haired teenager ran up to them.

"I knew I sensed you guys!" Ichigo exclaimed proudly, grinning at his sister. "Hey, Karin, how's school?"

She smirked back, "Fine. Thanks for coming to visit."

Ichigo blinked and rubbed the back of his neck guiltily, "I've been busy."

"Ichigo!" another voice cried, and Rukia bounded up beside them. "Next time you feel like taking off, _warn me first_!"

Karin watched as Ichigo rounded on the tiny shinigami, snarling out a counterargument. The young teenager glanced over at Toshirou, who was glaring at both of the uninvited guests.

"Hey!" the frustrated captain finally called, effectively ending their banter and gaining their attention. "I have a group of trainees here, and you two are disrupting their lesson."

Rukia punched Ichigo's shoulder, "This is why I didn't tell you they were here, Ichigo!"

"You _knew_? How long have you known?"

"Since the minute they _got_ here, idiot!"

Toshirou growled in irritation and turned to the two students, who were gaping at the bickering pair before them, "Come on, then, let's get back." He opened the gate and nodded to Karin, waiting until she entered behind her peers—but not before casting an exasperated glance at her brother and friend. Once the three were in, Toshirou followed, closing the gate before Ichigo was all the wiser.

* * *

A/N: And now that Ichigo's been reminded about his sisters' location, he'll be dropping in for infrequent visits. :P Hope you guys enjoyed it! (And I really do love reviews)


	10. Kidou Class

A/N: Be sure to read the author note at the end of the drabble!

* * *

**One Year**

_Kidou Class_

"Aren't you two a little _young_ to be in this class?"

Karin tensed as Yuzu frowned a little, consulting her new schedule as if it were an honest question, "I'm not sure, but this is the third level kidou class, isn't it?"

The kid who had sneered at them, an upperclassman if his uniform was any indication, folded his arms arrogantly, "Yeah, but you two are first year students. You wouldn't get into this class—it's only for the strong kids in the Academy."

Karin glared at him, "I'll have you know that we're both fully qualified to be here. Probably more so than _you_."

The upperclassman rolled his eyes and motioned towards the door, "You're going to get yourself hurt pretending like this. Get out of here."

"No!" Karin snapped.

Yuzu glanced between them, slightly panicked as she sensed an impending attack, "Our apologies, but this really _is_ the class we were placed in." She tried to reason with the older kid.

"Is there a problem?" a husky voice from behind them asked, and the upperclassman straightened, automatically assuming a respected position for the teacher who'd walked in during their argument.

"N-no, ma'am. I was simply redirecting these two first years; they're lost."

"We are _not_!" Karin whirled to face the teacher, about to plead their case, and froze when she noticed Rukia smirking at them. The shinigami folded her arms, surveying the twins.

"I know you're not. The entire reason I agreed to be a substitute teacher today is because you two were signed up for this class," she said casually, turning her gaze towards the upperclassman. "But that was kind of you to be helpful enough to redirect them."

"Uh…" the kid swallowed, realizing that, despite her words, Rukia had seen right through his act. He bowed slightly, muttered, "No problem," and took a seat on the far end of the room. Rukia watched him sit down, shaking her head slightly.

"Does this sort of thing happen often to you two?"

Yuzu shifted the weight of her backpack on her shoulders, nodding a little, "Not with that kind of force, but sometimes. I think it's because we're condensing four years of study into one year, so we get put into the higher-level classes."

"The upperclassmen get jealous," Karin remarked casually. "But we show them pretty quickly who's stronger."

Rukia smirked, "Well, you know the Academy's teachers wouldn't put you in any class they didn't think you could handle. If you're here, it's because you're fully capable of managing the curriculum."

Both girls beamed at the praise, and Rukia scanned the room, noting that it was quickly filling up. She glanced back at the twins and clapped her hands together, "Well, I should probably get to teaching. Just so you two know, Ichigo's coming to visit sometime this weekend—the hollows in Karakura have been keeping him occupied, but I promised to take over his shift for a few days so he can stop by."

"Really?" Yuzu looked thrilled at the prospect of seeing her brother for the first time since they'd started school. Karin rolled her eyes, deciding that, hollow or not, their brother was a slacker for not visiting sooner.

Rukia looked thoughtful for a moment, "I think Isshin said something about coming along as well…? I'm not entirely sure. Either way, keep an eye out for them."

Karin groaned. She _really_ didn't want their dad to visit—he was embarrassing enough in the privacy of their own home. To see him at the Academy was a thing for nightmares. However, Yuzu looked thrilled, so Karin plastered a smile on her face and joined her sister at the nearby desk.

First this class, then the weekend, then what's left of the year. They could get through this.

… Right?

* * *

A/N: So, I know I'm a horrible person, but I'm just not following Bleach any more. I found this little drabble on my hard drive this morning and thought I'd post it for all the people who've alerted this fic, but** this is going to be the last update**. Sorry to lead you all on, and I promise I'm working on actually *finishing* one of my multi-chapter fics ("Trial Run," in the Doctor Who fandom. Check it out-it's going to be epic. :P ). Either way, I felt bad about all the people reviewing to update, so I thought I'd give you guys one last bone.

Thanks for the run, and I hope you all find wonderful Bleach fics in lieu of this one! (There are *way* better reads out there, trust me. :P )


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